Cabinet having combined shelf and slidable doors



D. T. HOUPT July 5, 1949.

CABINET HAVING COMBINED SHELF AND SLIDABLE DOORS Filed March 17, 1945 Patented July 5, 1949 CABINET HAVING COMBINED SHELF AND SLIDABLE DOORS Donald T. Houpt, Seattle, Wash., assignor to Boeing Airplane Company, a corporation of Dela- Ware Application March 17, 1945, Serial No. 583,223

(Cl. S12-489) 8 Claims.

The door construction to which my invention relates is particularly suitable for use in kitchen cabinets, but it is readily adaptable to many other types of installations.

The doors are arranged in pairs and mounted to slide edgewise into overlapping disposition in which the inner door is almost completely covered by the outer door, though the doors are preferably of the same width.

A principal object of my invention is to provide a sliding door construction which will suspend the doors and guide their movement without the necessity of a xed track engageable with the lower edges of the doors. The lower shelf of the cabinet closed by the doors may therefore be formed as a continuation of a work bench outside the cabinet without any projection or recess interrupting the unbroken continuity of such shelf and exterior bench.

In such an arrangement it is also an object to mount my cabinet doors inclined downwardly and inwardly to increase the width of the bench space exteriorly of the cabinet. The doors may be inclined to any degree, and they may be opened to add the lower shelf of the cabinet to the bench space to make a wide work area when desired.

A further important object of my invention is to provide hardware for such a door construction which is very simple to manufacture and easy to install, yet which will support the doors effectively and enable them to be removed from the cabinet openings by simple manipulation. In particular it is an object to support the inner door wholly from the cabinet structure and to support the outer door partially from the cabinet structure and partially from the inner door.

The principles of construction and operation embodied in the representative form of my in Vention shown in the drawings may be incorporated in structures varying considerably from that illustrated and particularly described hereafter.

Figure 1 is a front elevational View of a cabinet incorporating my door structure.

Figure 2 is a Vertical sectional view through the door structure shown in Figure 1 taken along line 2 2 of that iigure, and Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional View of the door structure on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

My door structure may be employed in conjunction with cabinets having any number of shelves, the cabinet shown in the drawing having a single intermediate shelf Ill. When such cabinet is used in a kitchen its bottom shelf ll and a work bench I2 exteriorly of the outer cabinet door 2 may form a continuous surface.

The outer door 2 and the inner door 2!! as shown in Figure 1 are preferably substantially equal in width and extend from the bench l2 and lower shelf l l of the cabinet to its top I3. When the outer door is slid over the inner door, or the latter door is slid behind the former, the shelf l l forms additional work space behind the bench l2. Moreover such arrangement isvery desirable for storage of an electric mixer, for example, because it can be slid through the cabinet door# way to a location behind the inner door 2li without being lifted. When this door is closed the mixer is covered. When the door is open, however, the mixer may be drawn outward onto the bench portion I2 again without the necessity of lifting it. The same technique may be used for other kitchen utensils to avoid lifting them.

To increase the width of the work bench space available outside the cabinet when the doors are closed, they may be inclined inwardly and downwardly so that their lower edges will be set a substantial distance behind their upper edges. The supporting and guiding hardware for the doors need not be changed appreciably for dii-ferent degrees of door inclination. Both doors are suspended, as distinguished from resting on their lower edges, but the suspension mechanism is not secured to or engaged with the upper edges of the doors. Conventional hanger mechanism usually is rather complicated and frequently does not restrain swinging of the doors unless their lower edges are guided by tracks.

In my door arrangement the inner door is supported independently of the outer door by rollers 2l engaging a track I4 secured to the outer edge of an intermediate shelf IIJ. The particular track shown is of channel shape, having a curved web portion and flanges of dilerent widths. It is preferably made of metal, although it may be desirable to use some type of plastic or other material, or even a wooden ledge. The broader ange of such channel is secured to the shelf edge while the edge of the narrower flange constitutes the track for the rollers. These rollers are secured to the inner face of the inner door lby simple straps or brackets 22. .Such a bracket is shown in Figure 2 as extending vertically upward from the roller, but a horizontal bracket 23 may be used alternatively, or for one roller while the other is supported by a vertical bracket. The entire weight of the inner door 2li is supported by the two rollers 2l, one carried by each upright edge of the door.

The rollers 2| are secured to the inner door 20 at locations intermediate its top and bottom edges. The particular position of these rollers vertically is not of great importance, but it is preferred that they be disposed a substantial distance below the upper edge of the door. The upper door edge tsinto4 a downwardly facing groove I5 near tha-outer edge ofv thef cabinettop I3, the door edge 24 preferably being rabbeted to reduce the width of the groove required When the door is supported by its rollers 2| with its upper edge received in groove I5 it; is

restrained from swinging conjointly by the groove and by the rollers engaging the: track, so that it can merely be slid edgewise;

The outer door 2 has a roller 2| secured to one of its edges by a strap or bracket. 25. to= dispose such roller in registry with track I4. The end of this strap may project forwardly past'the edge*- of the door and beyond its exposed face to serve as a handle which may be' grasped' to.y slide the:

2 bya strap orf-bracket 2:1 which extends from the rear side. of. the roller.l downwardly and forwardly beneath the lower edge" of door 20, asshownbest. The forward end. of thel strap is sein Figure 2. cured to the lower' edge of the outer door to support the roller. This roller` isengaged with a track` Z'Bextending' along the lower portion ofthe inner surf-ace of door 2-Iland: secured to it. Like track I4,.track 28 is preferably of channel shape;. having ange portions of unequal: width. The wider flange portion is: secured toI the.l door and; the1 edge of the narrower flange' portion consti- 'Ihe upper edgel of the outer door is likewisezreceived: in aA groove I6: in the top- I3 of thecabinet, parallel: to groove'v I5. The upperA edge 23 of door 2 israbbeted so tutes thel track forroller 2:6.

that the grooves |5\ and I6 can bey spaced apart Etz-reasonable distance;

In theca-binet. of Figure l the opening is shown' as closed by only' two? sliding doors, but it will.

be evidentl that any number of doors may be employed, arranged irr pairs', which doors' may be of anyY desired width, and: may close. the opening ofla cabinet of any height. Either theinn'er' door 20'cf each pair may be slid behind the outer-door of its pair intoithebroken lineposition` indicated in. Figure 3, or the: outer door maybe slid over.

the innerf door: of its pair, tocontract the width'.A ofv the closure in. eitherv direction. I-ff. more than.

a single. pair. of doors are employed, th'ef doors may all bepushed toward. one end or the other of the. cabinet opening untilthe: doors of eachpairoverlap to the fullest. extent and t'hesevera-1 pairsof. doorsf areA in;x contact. When thus. disposed the.v

doors collectively occupy little more than half the total: widt-lr of: the cabinet opening.

To install: my door structurel itis onlyy necessary. to form in ther top I3.-of the cabinet the two grooves |5- and |6;. andf to. secureV the. track I4 to an intermediate shelf.. The remainder of the.- hardware is mounted on the: doors themselves..

as previously discussed. When the doors are nstalled they will be in close face to face relationship, the supportingy rollers of both doors being concealed from view.

In order to place the doors in operative position the inner and outer doors of each pair may rst be assembledwith eachother; the roller 26 carried by the outer door engaging the track edge of the channel 28. Both doors will now together be placed in the cabinet opening in overlapping relationship, and their upper edges 24 and 29 will befltted into the respective grooves I5 and I6' of the cabinet top I3, and pushed edgewise upward. as far' as possible. The rollers 2| may now ber passed over track: I4 and the doors allowed to move downward to engage such rollers with the track to support thedoors. The doors are then readyto be slid i'nto position for closing the opening;. They may be removed from the cabinet easily by following in reverse the sequence of the steps enumerated.

I claim asmyy invention:

l. Av cabinet comprising atop, a bottom, a shelf substantially midway between its topandbottom and having its outer edge disposed inwardly' of the outer edgeofsaidfcabinet toppa' door extending substantially from said toptosaid. bottom', and means interengaged betweensaid door, the outer edge of said cabinet top,.and thexouter edge of saidshelf, operable to suppontsaiddoor inv a position' inwardly and downwardly inclined andto guideit for edgewise movement parallel to such. outer shelf edge inv such. attitude, said means a-t. the outer edge of said-Y shelf carrying substantially the entire weight of. the door.,.and. said means at the outer edge ofv saidy cabinet top guiding thev upper edge-of the door for` such movement, andY restraining thedoor against tilting.

2. A cabinet comprising a; tophaving a groove in its under side4 along the edge thereof, abottom, a shelfintermediate said topand.V bottom and.

havin-gV its outer edge disposed. inwardly of the groove in said top, aldoor extendingsubstantially from said topto said bottomandhaving its upper edge-engagedlin the groove.invsaidtopyand-means interengaged between. said door. andthe. outer edge of said shelf, and operable to support said door, such groove and said interengaged' means cooperating to-maintain said door in a. position. inwardly andi downwardly' inclined generally' parallel. tof a line joining such; groove in said top and the outer edge: ofv saidfshelff, andftonguidesaidv door for edgewise movement parallel to such? outer shelf edge inl suchA attitude;

3. A cabinet comprising a'. top,- twoy parallel guides at its under side.- along, the: outer edge. thereof, a'- bottom, a;l shelf intermediate said top'A and bottom, an inner door. extendingr substantially from said topvtosaid. bott-om and havingl its upper edgeengagedwith the.- inn'er one ofr saidv cabinet topguides, an; outer. door extending substantially from saidtopI tov sa-idv bottom andA having its upper edge engaged with the outer one'of said cabinet top;A guides,- a track. secured to.- the outer edge of said: shelf, two rollers carried. by

opposite' edges of said: inner; door, respectively, and. bearing` on said track. toy support saiddoorf for edgewise: movement. parallel. to. such. outer shelf edge while.- thef upper edge of. the; doorv isl guided by the inner one of said cabinet top' guides, a roller carriedby one edge of; said outer door and bearing onsaid'track, a: track: carried; byy the lower; edge of: saidA inner: doorv at the inner.` side thereof, and a.l roller carried. by said outer: door atthe bottom of; itss other. edge and; bearing;

on said second track, to support such other edge of said outer door from said inner door while the upper edge of said outer door is guided by the outer one of said cabinet top guides for edgewise movement of said outer door relative to said inner door in a direction parallel to it.

4. A cabinet comprising a top having two parallel grooves in its under side along the outer edge thereof., a bottom, a shelf substantially midway between said top and bottom, an inner door extending substantially from said top to said bottom and having its upper edge engaged in the inner groove in said cabinet top, an outer door extending substantially from said top to said bottom and having its upper edge engaged in the outer groove in said cabinet top, a track secured to the outer edge of said shelf, two rollers carried by opposite edges of said inner door, respectively, and bearing on said track to support said door for edgewise movement parallel to such outer shelf edge while the upper edge of the door is guided by such inner cabinet top groove, a roller carried by one edge of said outer door and bearing on said track, a track carried by the lower edge of said inner door at the inner side thereof, and a roller carried by said outer door at the bottom of its other edge and bearing on said second track, to support such other edge of said outer door from said inner door while the upper edge of said outer doo-r is guided by the outer groove in the cabinet top for edgewise movement of said outer door relative to said inner door in a direction parallel. to it.

5. A cabinet comprising a top, two parallel guides at its under side alongr the outer edge thereof, a bottom., a shelf intermediate said top and bottom, an inner door extending substantially from said top to said bottom and having its upper edge engaged with the inner one of said cabinet top guides, an outer door extending substantially from said top to said bottom and having its upper edge engaged with the outer one of said cabinet top guides, two rollers carried by opposite edges of said inner door, respectively, and track means disposed along the outer edge of said shelf to support and guide said rollers for movement edgewise of the door parallel to such outer shelf edge while the upper edge of the door is guided by the inner one of said cabinet top guides, a roller carried by one edge of said outer door and supported by said means disposed along the outer edge of said shelf, a track carried by said inner door, and a roller carried by the other edge of said outer door and bearing on said track, to support such other edge of said outer door from said inner door while the upper edge of said outer door is guided by the outer one of said cabinet top guides for edgewise movement of said outer door relative to said inner door in a direction parallel to it.

6. A cabinet comprising a top, a bottom, a shelf intermediate its top and bottom, an inner door extending from said bottom to said top, means lnterengaged between said inner door, the outer edge of said cabinet top and the outer edge of said shelf operable to guide said door for edgewise movement parallel to such outer shelf edge and to support its weight, respectively, an outer door, and means interengaged between said outer door and said inner door operable to support said outer door at least partially from said inner door for edgewise movement relative thereto in a direction parallel to it.

'7. A door structure for a cabinet having a shelf intermediate its top and bottom, comprising a track adapted to be carried by the outer edge of the shelf, a door of a height to extend a substantial distance above and below such shelf, a roller carried by said door and bearing on said track to support said door for edgewise movement parallel to such cuter shelf edge, an outer door of a height to extend a substantial distance above and below such shelf, a roller carried by one edge of said outer door and bearing on the track carried by the outer edge of the shelf, a track carried by the first door, and a roller carried by the other edge of said outer door and bearing on said track carried by the first door, for supporting said outer door partially from the shelf and partially from the first door for edgewise movement relative to the first doo-r in a direction parallel to it.

8. A cabinet comprising a top, a bottom, a shelf intermediate said top and bottom, a door extending a substantial distance above and below said shelf, means interengaged between said door and said shelf and supporting a substantial portion c-f the weight of said door for edgewise -movement parallel to the adjacent edge of said shelf,

means guiding the upper edge of the door during such movement, an outer door extending a substantial distance above and below said shelf, means interengaged between one edge of said outer door and said shelf, and means interengaged between the other edge of said outer door and the rst door, for supporting said outer door partially from the shelf and partially from the rst door for edgewise movement relative to the first door in a direction parallel to it.

DONALD T. HOUPT.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenices are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 410,470 Tyler Sept. 3, 1889 1,782,819 Hansen Nov. 25, 1930 1,920,855 Glockler Aug. 1, 1933 1,928,523 Bally Sept. 26, 1933 2,248,813 DArcey July 8, 1941 2,341,093 Haberstump Feb. 8, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 23,405 Great Britain 1906 651,898 Germany Oct. 21, 1937 

